Adventures with my Kanken

I've been meaning to write this blog for sometime now, these photos were actually taken in April during one of my whistle-stop research tours of Berlin. I was first introduced to Kanken rucksacks during my internship at the Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus and I fell in love with them almost immediately. They're colourful, practical, scandinavian etc. etc. Fjallraven is a swedish hiking brand that started making boxy rucksacks for school children called Kankens in 1978. In the last couple of years they have become an urban staple in most european and scandinavian cities. You cannot catch the U-bahn in Berlin without catching a glimpse of at least one kanken rucksack. When I finally decided to invest in one, I thought it would be a good idea to get one with space for my laptop (imaginatively known as the Laptop Kanken) At £70-90 a bag this was no casual purchase and the first bag I was sent had a small rip in one of the zips. I sent it back, was sent a new one and I am now a fully fledged Kanken advocate. I LOVE MY KANKEN. Aside from the fun aesthetics, here are my reasons:
1) It's light. Kanken's are not the sort of rucksacks that are heavy before you've put anything in it. This makes it perfect for carrying weighty books AND a laptop AND a charger AND a packed lunch. Perfect for student life.
2) It's versatile. Whether it's a day in the library, a trip to the beach or a weekend away my Kanken is the only bag I need. The Laptop Kanken is big enough to use as a going away bag and it's perfect for those stressful, pesky budget flights. It also makes me prioritise and pack lightly, which is always ALWAYS better.  When I'm not travelling with my laptop, I use the pouch to hold my journal, my books and my valuables. As the pouch faces my back it keeps them safe and I always know where they are.  
3) It's comfortable. I believe that the regular Kanken has slightly different straps to the Laptop Kanken, so I cannot vouch for the overall comfort of the brand. HOWEVER, my Kanken is the most comfortable rucksack I have EVER had.  The shoulder straps are padded and easy to adjust so that the bag can sit in just the right place on my back. I have yet to have back-ache from this bag and I've been using it pretty much everyday since November. 
It's easy to write these bags off as the latest hipster craze, but trust me, if this is a fad, then it's a fad you won't regret. Your shoulders and back will thank you, airport security will thank you and you'll thank yourself when you smugly arrive on holiday with nothing but a rucksack. 

2 comments :

  1. I NEED one of these in my life so badly. They are just so practical and Scandi no wonder the Germans love them. Where did you get yours from?
    xxx

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  2. Mine was a birthday gift, but I believe Mum got it off Amazon! YOU NEED ONE NINA!

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